Users Council has proven itself to be a critically important element in the Online Computer Library Center's (OCLC) organizational structure. In fulfilling its combined roles, Users Council has provided a national forum for articulating member library interests to OCLC as well as a training ground for preparing individuals with library expertise…

Libraries are moving into an era that incorporates improvements of a library's existing databases, embraces the research results of the information-seeking process, and makes fundamental improvements by adding new databases such as WordFocus. These new systems should convert the frustrated user of today's online public access catalog (OPAC) into…

Describes the Electronic Resources Directory of Monash University (Melbourne, Australia), designed for locating electronic resources of the library. It both provides information about these resources as well as direct links to them where appropriate. Use of the World Wide Web for the directory has obvious advantages for a university where global…

Discusses early developments in the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) interlibrary loan, including use of OCLC for verification and request transmittal, improved service to patrons, internal cost control, affect on work flow and borrowing patterns. Describes advances in OCLC, including internationalization, electronic information access,…

It is generally accepted in the library world that an automated catalog means more accessible data for patrons, greater productivity for librarians, and an improvement in the sharing of bibliographic data among libraries. While the desirability of automation is not a controversial issue, some aspects of automating remain problematic. This article…

Discusses the development of electronic libraries at Cornell University's (New York) Mann Library and elsewhere and presents an overview of changes in services and staff responsibilities needed to address user needs. Sidebar articles discuss Internet access to government information; changing staff roles; geographic information systems; the Mann…

The Simple Index Method overcomes the difficulties in building a core list for serials in interdisciplinary fields by using multiple indexes which cover various aspects of the subject. Collection-development librarians can develop a core list when standard bibliographies or specific indexing and abstracting tools are lacking and can tailor that…

Discusses the impact of internetworking on academic research libraries with special emphasis given to collection development and resource sharing in an electronically networked environment. Topics addressed include a brief history of the Internet, NSF-Net, and NREN (National Research and Education Network); and future trends in the development of…

This document provides an overview of the concepts and processes behind reference services and the most important sources consulted in answering common reference questions. The book is divided into two parts. Part 1 deals with concepts and theory. It covers ethical aspects of reference service, the reference interview, the principles and goals of…

Libraries exist for the benefit of the mind, but they have practical problems coping with the acquisition, storage, and handling of the documents and records with which they deal. Any change in technology that would have a significant effect on the methods available for these procedures could have important consequences for library service. The…

This paper reports on a study in which a select bibliography of gay fiction was compiled and checked against the catalogs of the public libraries in Franklin County, Ohio, in order to determine the collection extent and whether catalog subject access is provided for these works. Results show that the percentage of checklist titles held by each…

The purpose of this study was to find out to what extent K-12 fiction and nonfiction books about and for hearing impaired children and adolescents are included in the collections of the seven public libraries in Franklin County, Ohio. Two core bibliographies were compiled through content analysis of selective bibliographic sources. Via dial-up…